Screen wash issue

A

andrewparkeruk

A2OC Donor
I use Quantum screen wash diluted for -5°C (have lived at the coast for past two winters)

A couple of weeks ago I topped up the screen wash before a trip to the frozen north (NE Lancashire). Was at my mother’s house for three days, temperature went to -6.5°C at one point as I was driving

Washer jets wouldn’t work; fair enough: I should have increased the concentration before the trip

Since then I can’t really get the washer jets to function. Firstly I’m not very DIY ey. Today I checked the reservoir was full (was, or at least I couldn’t add any more to the filler)

Bonnet off
engine running
driver window open
operate screen wash function: a dribble of foamy liquid from the four jets
pump making working noises
removed last jet unit in series; operate screen wash function - no liquid coming from hose; replace jet unit
repeat with first jet unit - no liquid coming from hose; replace jet unit

I don’t have any more ideas. The temperature for the past few days at home has been around 10°C. Today went on a one hour / 30 mile drive, with return later

Hard to imagine the screen wash reservoir still has frozen liquid

Perhaps the issue occurred a few weeks ago and it wasn’t that the jets / screen wash was frozen

I am not in a position to ramp / remove undertray. I wonder if there is anything else I can try as it is unlikely a garage will do anything over the next couple of weeks

Thank you, Andrew
 
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A thick sludge can form in the reservoir. This settles at the bottom of the tank where the pump inlet is. It is worth removing the pump and completely flushing out the tank with warm / hot water and also clean the pump. If you have access to compressed air blow out the washer pipes from the pump end with the washer jets removed. At the age of our cars no doubt all the washer jet tubing with be very brittle and easily damaged. The original pipe is corrugated as this provided a level of insulation so if you replace with aquarium air tube expect more freezing up.

I know you have said you can not ramp / remove undertray but if you can jack the front nearside up and support on stands you can remove the front and inner fixings for the wheel arch liner and fold it back around the brake disc and that will get enough access to the washer reservoir to get to the motor. This will also help drain out the fluid. The other alternative but far more messy is to insert a garden hose into the filler after removing the mesh strainer and let the hose run for a good period of time again with warm / hot water to stir up and flush out any sludge / gel that may be in the tank.
 
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I had one of the pipe junctions fail, causing the fluid to just squirt into the engine bay. The undertray can catch it, so it’s not obviously pouring out of the bottom of the car. Hard to both pull the lever & watch the pipes at the same time 🙂
I can’t remember the full details, it was a long time ago now.
 
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Imola Yellow said:
I had one of the pipe junctions fail, causing the fluid to just squirt into the engine bay. The undertray can catch it, so it’s not obviously pouring out of the bottom of the car. Hard to both pull the lever & watch the pipes at the same time 🙂
I can’t remember the full details, it was a long time ago now.
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Thank you @Imola Yellow ; tracing the corrugated pipe down from the two screen jet units, it seems to enter the cluster of wires wrapped in cloth backed tape, so I couldn’t find the bottom

I am carrying 5l of diluted screen wash in the boot. Will book into the garage
 
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audifan said:
A thick sludge can form in the reservoir. This settles at the bottom of the tank where the pump inlet is. It is worth removing the pump and completely flushing out the tank with warm / hot water and also clean the pump. If you have access to compressed air blow out the washer pipes from the pump end with the washer jets removed. At the age of our cars no doubt all the washer jet tubing with be very brittle and easily damaged. The original pipe is corrugated as this provided a level of insulation so if you replace with aquarium air tube expect more freezing up.

I know you have said you can not ramp / remove undertray but if you can jack the front nearside up and support on stands you can remove the front and inner fixings for the wheel arch liner and fold it back around the brake disc and that will get enough access to the washer reservoir to get to the motor. This will also help drain out the fluid. The other alternative but far more messy is to insert a garden hose into the filler after removing the mesh strainer and let the hose run for a good period of time again with warm / hot water to stir up and flush out any sludge / gel that may be in the tank.
Click to expand...
This may be worth checking, there is an air vent tube clipped to the side of the filler neck mine became unclipped & dropped down & allowed the fluid/water to drain out, black corrugated tube again if I recall correctly.
Keith.
 
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kp 115 said:
This may be worth checking, there is an air vent tube clipped to the side of the filler neck mine became unclipped & dropped down & allowed the fluid/water to drain out, black corrugated tube again if I recall correctly.
Keith.
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Thank you Keith. I will check but my filler is full to the brim, that is I can’t get any more screen wash into the reservoir

Car booked into garage but it will be in the new year

In the meantime will carry diluted screen wash in a spray bottle
 
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